An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Volume 1 eBook

From the settlement on the banks of that river the
best reports continued to be received from time to
time: every where the settlers found a rich black
mould of several feet depth, and one man had in three
months planted and dug a crop of potatoes. The
natives, however, had given them such interruption,
as induced a necessity for firing upon them, by which,
it was said, one man was killed.

At Toongabbie, where the Indian corn was growing,
their visits and their depredations were so frequent
and extensive, that the watchmen stationed for the
protection of the corn-grounds were obliged to fire
on them, and one party, considerable in number, after
having been driven off, returning directly to the
plunder, was pursued by the watchmen for several miles,
when a contest ensued, in which the natives were worsted,
and three were left dead on the spot. The watchmen
had so often come in with accounts of this nature,
that, apprehensive lest the present transaction should
not be credited, they brought in with them, as a testimonial
not to be doubted, the head of one of those whom they
had slain. With this witness to support them,
they told many wonderful circumstances of the pursuit
and subsequent fight, which they stated to have taken
place at least fourteen miles from the settlement,
and to have been very desperately and obstinately
sustained on the part of the natives. It was
remarked, however, that not one of the watchmen had
received the slightest injury, a circumstance that
threw a shade over their story, which, but for the
production of the head, would have been altogether
disbelieved.

Whatever might have been the truth, it is certain
that a party of natives appeared the following day
about the corn grounds, but conducted themselves with
a great deal of caution, stationing one of their party
upon the stump of a tree which commanded an extensive
view of the cultivated grounds, and retreating the
instant they perceived themselves to be observed.

From the quantities of husks and leaves of corn which
were found scattered about the dwelling places of
these people, their depredations this season must
have been very extensive.

At Sydney a large party of natives assembled for the
purpose of burning the body of Carradah, the native
mentioned in the transactions of the month of December
last, by the name of Midjer Bool. He had been
put to death while asleep in the night by some people
who were inimical to his tribe; and the natives who
witnessed the performance of the last rite assured
us, that when the murderers should be discovered several
severe contests would ensue. It was at this time
that the rencounter between Collins and Wyatt took
place; and some other points of honour which remained
unsettled were then determined, not without much violence
and bloodshed, though no one was killed.

Cropping the ground with wheat formed the general
and most material labour of this month. On the
public account nearly four hundred acres were so sown
with that essential grain. At this time wheat
bore the price of twenty shillings a bushel.